Pacifier

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed to a pacifying or a feeding dummy comprising an actual mouthpiece ( 10 ) and a cover piece ( 11 ) for attaching the dummy to a feeding bottle. The actual mouthpiece comprises a piece made of an elastic material to be held in the mouth of a baby between the tongue and the palate. The mouthpiece of the pacifying dummy can be either a hollow or a solid piece. The invention is characterized in that the wall ( 13 ) of the hollow mouthpiece or the solid mouthpiece has a space ( 14 ) formed into it for the insertion of a dosage unit ( 20 ) containing an active agent.

The invention is directed to a baby's pacifying or feeding dummy definedin the introduction of claim 1.

Dental caries has been shown to develop in small children during thesucking of a dummy, especially during the sleep when the secretion ofsaliva is poor. Therefore, it has been proposed to add an anti-cariesagent to a dummy, from which the agent is delivered into the mouth of ababy. Schweiz Monatsschr Zahnmed Vol 104:8 1994 pp 946-951 describes twodummies, where tablets containing sodium fluoride, xylitol, and sorbitolhave been inserted. In the first dummy, the downwardly facing surface ofthe mouth piece had three identical holes through which the active agentflows to an area around the teeth in the lower jaw. In the second dummy,there were two holes made in the downwardly facing surface and also twoholes made in the upwardly facing surface, wherein the active agentflowed after its delivery into contact with the teeth in both the upperjaw and the lower jaw.

In both of these dummies, the anti-caries tablet is positioned insidethe mouthpiece by means of a locking device situated in the opposingside of the cover piece. However, these approaches for making dummieshave certain problems. The insertion of a tablet inside the dummythrough the locking device is cumbersome. The locking device itself isstructurally rather complicated and thus costly. The difficulty to keepthe mouthpiece and the locking device clean creates problems and maylead to an unacceptable hygienic level.

An approach for making dummies has also been presented wherein theanti-caries tablet is placed in the lip-plate. This type of constructionis complicated and the plate may exert pressure against the dentalalveole, which is unsatisfactory in terms of its growth.

The object of this invention is to overcome the above problems and toprovide a dummy, which allows a tablet or a dosage unit containing ananti-caries agent or another active agent to become associativelyinserted. The invention is directed to a structurally simple dummy,which is easy to load with a dosage unit containing an active agent andwhich is easy to clean.

The invention is thus directed to a pacifying or a feeding dummy, whichcomprises an actual mouthpiece and a cover piece or parts for attachingthe dummy to the feeding bottle. The actual mouthpiece comprises a piecemade of an elastic material to be held in the mouth of a baby betweenthe tongue and the palate. The mouthpiece of the pacifying dummy may beeither a hollow or a solid piece. The invention is characterized in thatthe wall of a hollow mouthpiece or the solid mouthpiece has a void madeinto it for the insertion of a dosage unit containing an active agent.

The invention is now described by reference to the attached drawings,wherein

FIG. 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of a dummy of theinvention,

FIG. 2 represents a longitudinal section of the mouthpiece of the dummyof FIG. 1, enlarged,

FIG. 3 represents the mouthpiece of the dummy of FIG. 2 viewed from thebottom,

FIG. 4 represents a vertical cross-section of the mouthpiece of thedummy of FIG. 2 along the line A—A, and

FIGS. 5A and 5B represent a section of the dummy of the inventionaccording to the second embodiment.

FIGS. 6A-6C represent a section of the dummy of the invention accordingto the third embodiment.

The FIG. 1 shows a vertical longitudinal section of the dummy of theinvention embodied as a pacifying dummy, in approximately natural size.The mouthpiece to be fitted into the mouth of a baby has been given thereference number 10, the cover of the dummy the reference number 11 andthe handle the reference number 12. In this embodiment the hollowmouthpiece 10 comprises an empty void 19 defined by an elastic wallforming the outer surface 13 of the mouthpiece. The FIG. 2, which is agreatly enlarged view of the mouthpiece of FIG. 1, shows a closer viewof an embodiment of this invention. The wall 13 of the mouthpiece hasbeen provided with a void 14, wherein a tablet 20 or a comparable dosageunit containing an active agent, for example an anti-caries agent, hasbeen inserted.

The void 14, mentioned in the exemplary approach of the FIGS. 1 and 2,is formed as a pouch which has been positioned in the lower part 13 a ofthe mouthpiece. The wall 15, facing the mouth of the baby, of the pouchhas been provided with one or more holes 16. The active agent isdelivered into the mouth of the baby through the hole or holes 16 as aresult of its dissolution, erosion, or its disintegration by some othermeans. The holes allow the rate of introduction of the active agent intothe mouth, and thus the concentrations in the mouth, to be controlledfor the attainment of a proper therapeutic level. The wall 13 of themouthpiece is provided with a protuberance 18 at the orifice 17 of thepouch 14. The insertion of the tablet 20 into the pouch 14 is performedby pressing the protuberance 18 outwards from the pouch, thusfacilitating the insertion. Thereafter, the protuberance 18 retractsinto the position shown in the FIG. 2, when it efficiently prevents thetablet or another dosage unit 20 in the pouch from escaping through theorifice 17 of the pouch into the mouth of the baby. The FIG. 6A showsthat the orifice 17 is suitably very narrow as compared to the tablet20.

The FIG. 4 shows, in a vertical cross-section, the mouthpiece 10, whichhas a tablet 20 inserted into the lower part 13 a of its wall. Accordingto a preferred embodiment, the mouthpiece is designed as described inthe published patent WO 96/20687. Accordingly, the cross-sectionalprofile of the mouthpiece is elongated and laterally protruding, whichresults in a sideways-acting pressure generated by the sucking movementsof the baby. According to the said published patent the cross-sectionalprofile can further be slightly V-shaped or its upper edge (13 b) archedslightly downwards, which results in a nonsignificant pressure from themouthpiece against the central part of the palate.

The FIGS. 5A and 5B represent the second embodiment of this invention,wherein the mouthpiece 10 of a pacifying dummy is a solid elastic piece.The FIG. 5A represents a side view of a vertical cross-section of themouthpiece and the FIG. 5B a front view of a vertical cross-section ofthe mouthpiece. In this approach the space 14 is a cleft-like cavityinto which the dosage unit 20 is pushed. The dosage unit is retainedsafely by the elastic protuberances 18. Such an approach is not to berecommended if the dosage unit is a disintegrating tablet, because insuch a case rather large pieces may be introduced into the mouth of ababy through the orifice 17. However, this approach may well be suitableif the dosage unit remains largely intact during the use, when theactive agent is delivered for example though a membrane surrounding thedosage unit. The pouch-based design, instead, shown in the FIGS. 1-4, isto be recommended if an easily disintegrating tablet is concerned,because even the smallest pieces are retained safely inside the pouch.

The FIGS. 6A-6C, representing sections similar to those of the FIGS.1-2, 3, and 4, show a pouch made into a solid mouthpiece. The FIG. 6A,which is a vertical longitudinal section of the mouthpiece, shows thatthe part 21 of the mouthpiece, which remains between the alveoli, ismade solid and a pouch 14 is formed into the solid rear half. Becausethe rear half of the mouthpiece is nearly flat and small, the whole rearhalf has been formed into a pouch in this approach. The construction ofthis kind of a mouthpiece is simple and the pouch can be easily madewide enough. The FIG. 6B shows the mouthpiece of FIG. 6A from below andthe FIG. 6C shows a part of the dummy as a cross-section along the lineB—B of FIG. 6A. The reference numbers have the same meaning as in theprevious Figures.

A tablet or an another dosage unit can contain an anti-caries agent.Alternatively, the active agent can be an agent against another disease,such as an anti-otitis agent. The active agent can also be a medicamentintended for temporary use.

In the case of a pacifying dummy the mouthpiece can be hollow or a solidand elastic piece.

The invention can also be applied to a feeding dummy.

Various embodiments of this invention are evident for a person skilledin the art and these are within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A pacifying or a feeding dummy, which comprises amouthpiece and a cover for attaching the dummy to a feeding bottle,wherein the mouthpiece comprises a piece made of an elastic material tobe held in a mouth of a baby between the tongue and the palate and apart to be held between the alveoli in the mouth of a baby and whereinthe mouthpiece of the pacifying dummy is either a hollow or a solidpiece, the mouthpiece having one end that is to be located in the mouthof the baby, the mouthpiece having a wall that contains a pouch forinsertion of an active agent-containing dosage unit and the wall of themouthpiece having an outside and the pouch including an insertionorifice through which an active agent-containing dosage unit is insertedinto the pouch, the insertion orifice being positioned on the outside ofthe mouthpiece wall between the part to be held between the alveoli andthe one end of said mouthpiece.
 2. The dummy according to claim 1,wherein the pouch possesses a wall having one or more holes fordelivering an active agent of a disintegrating dosage unit into themouth of a baby.
 3. The dummy according to claim 1, wherein the pouch ispositioned in a lower part of the mouthpiece.
 4. The dummy according toclaim 1, wherein the wall of the mouthpiece has a protuberance at theorifice of the pouch to prevent the dosage unit inserted into the pouchthrough the orifice from escaping into the mouth of a baby.
 5. The dummyaccording to claim 2, wherein the pouch is positioned in a lower part ofthe mouthpiece.
 6. The dummy according to claim 2, wherein themouthpiece has a protuberance at the orifice of the pouch to prevent thedosage unit inserted into the pouch through the orifice from escapinginto the mouth of a baby.
 7. The dummy according to claim 3, wherein themouthpiece has a protuberance at the orifice of the pouch to prevent thedosage unit inserted into the pouch through the orifice from escapinginto the mouth of a baby.
 8. A pacifying or a feeding dummy, comprisinga mouthpiece that includes a piece made of an elastic material to beheld in the mouth of a baby between the tongue and the palate and a partto be held between the alveoli in the mouth of the baby, the mouthpiecehaving a tip end that is to be located in the mouth of the baby, themouthpiece having an outer surface extending from the tip end to saidpart to be held between the alveoli in the mouth of the baby, themouthpiece being provided with a pouch for receiving an activeagent-containing dosage unit, the mouthpiece also including an insertionorifice communicating with the pouch and opening to said outer surfaceof the mouthpiece through which the active agent-containing dosage unitis inserted into the pouch.
 9. The dummy according to claim 8, whereinthe pouch possesses a wall having one or more holes for delivering anactive agent of a disintegrating dosage unit into the mouth of a baby.10. The dummy according to claim 8, wherein the pouch is positioned in alower part of the mouthpiece.
 11. The dummy according to claim 8,wherein the wall of the mouthpiece has a protuberance at the orifice ofthe pouch to prevent the dosage unit inserted into the pouch through theorifice from escaping into the mouth of a baby.
 12. The dummy accordingto claim 9, wherein the pouch is positioned in a lower part of themouthpiece.
 13. The dummy according to claim 9, wherein the mouthpiecehas a protuberance at the orifice of the pouch to prevent the dosageunit inserted into the pouch through the orifice from escaping into themouth of a baby.
 14. A pacifying or a feeding dummy, comprising amouthpiece that includes a piece made of an elastic material to be heldin the mouth of a baby between the tongue and the palate and a part tobe held between the alveoli in the mouth of the baby, the mouthpiecehaving an outer surface and a tip end located in the mouth of the baby,the mouthpiece being provided with a pouch for receiving an activeagent-containing dosage unit, the mouthpiece also including an insertionorifice communicating with the pouch and opening exteriorly of themouthpiece to insert an active agent-containing dosage unit into thepouch, the insertion orifice extending transverse to a direction ofextent of the pouch.
 15. The dummy according to claim 14, wherein thepouch possesses a wall having one or more holes for delivering an activeagent of a disintegrating dosage unit into the mouth of a baby.
 16. Thedummy according to claim 14, wherein the pouch is positioned in a lowerpart of the mouthpiece.
 17. The dummy according to claim 14, wherein thewall of the mouthpiece has a protuberance at the orifice of the pouch toprevent the dosage unit inserted into the pouch through the orifice fromescaping into the mouth of a baby.
 18. The dummy according to claim 15,wherein the pouch is positioned in a lower part of the mouthpiece. 19.The dummy according to claim 15, wherein the mouthpiece has aprotuberance at the orifice of the pouch to prevent the dosage unitinserted into the pouch through the orifice from escaping into the mouthof a baby.